Fewer now exempt from jury service

By Joshua Rozenberg, Legal Editor

12:01AM BST 05 Apr 2004

Judges, lawyers, politicians, vicars, bishops, doctors and peers will be eligible to sit on a jury from today.

Under the Criminal Justice Act 2003, all registered electors in England and Wales aged between 18 and 70, except people with a mental illness and those convicted of a criminal offence, must now serve on a jury if summoned.

Only those who can prove that they have "compelling reasons" can put off jury service or be excused.

Service on a jury may be deferred for health reasons or because of the death or illness of a close relative, a pre-booked holiday, religious festivals or essential service in the Armed Forces.

A person may be excused jury service because of insufficient understanding of English, certain care responsibilities or religious beliefs.

People who are unable to sit at the time they have been summoned will be offered deferral to a more convenient time. Only those who prove they cannot serve at any time in the 12 months from the date they are summoned will be excused, and then only in exceptional circumstances.

Anyone who does not wish to serve on a jury will have to provide reasons to a new Jury Central Summoning Bureau, which will decide on applications for excusal or deferral.

Christopher Leslie, the courts minister, said the changes would increase significantly the number of people who can do jury service. Around 480,000 people are summoned annually. Previously, fewer than half (about 200,000) were eligible.

"Expanding the pool of potential jurors ensures that juries better reflect the communities from which they are drawn. This, in turn, should improve public confidence in the criminal justice system," Mr Leslie said.

"The changes that come into effect today send a clear message that serving the community as a juror is the responsibility of everyone."